Love Potion
by KoganFeaturingYou
Summary: Helga is suffering from a broken heart by the unaware Arnold. While being around him crushes her heart, she also finds comfort when with him. Arnold is perplexed by Helga's subdued, quiet demeanor and he tries to get her to talk to him. Although he thinks he already knows the problem. TwoShot. Read and review.


**My first Hey Arnold! fan fiction. The cover photo is from a** _wonderful_** artist on deviantArt named Panfla. Watching the show recently and looking at amazing fanart has inspired me to write for this fandom. This will be a two-shot. **

**Read and review please. **

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Fifteen year old Helga Pataki was walking down the street after school. Ever since she was little, she tried to avoid going home immediately after the school day let out.

She kicked a random can from her path, hands in her jeans pockets. She stopped at a cross-walk and waited for the signal to change.

While waiting, she looked at her destination, the ice cream shop. She recognized a few of the people in there, one of them being Arnold...with Lila. She averted her gaze back to the signal just as it changed.

She entered the shop and made her order-vanilla ice cream cone. She ignored the people at the table by the door calling her name and inviting her over.

Taking her ice cream and paying, she exited the shop, continuing her trek down the sidewalk.

Green eyes watched her go.

Helga eyed her cone before taking a lick of it. The cool sweetness on her tongue brought a smile to her face. Vanilla ice cream has yet to let her down.

It took a moment for Helga to realize she was being followed. She made a quick one-eighty and spotted her favorite football head.

"What do you want, Football Head?" she asked, turning back around and walking. There was no malice or annoyance in her tone. Her words have been lacking those tones for a little while now.

Arnold hurried to catch up with her, settling alongside her, they walked in sync. "Is everything alright, Helga?"

Helga took a bite of her cone, not answering his question. Arnold gave her a glance.

His childhood tormentor, now a good friend, has been acting bored and uninspired for a week now. She didn't bully anyone or insult random strangers.

And what was most unusual was her eyes. She looked so sad, like she lost something close to her. For all he knew, that may be true. Helga wasn't an open person. A lot of what he knew about her came from circumstances and observation. But he had also known her since preschool, so he had time to learn.

The silence remained unbroken as the pair walked. Arnold folded his arms over his chest casually as he walked, looking at the river. He stopped at the overpass and stared at the water.

Helga walked two steps before she noticed he had stopped. She walked back to him and looked over the railing, watching their reflections. She sighed before turning and leaning against the side, looking at the buildings across the street.

Arnold rested his elbows on the side and stared at the water for a few more moments. The silence was still hard to adjust to. They more or less got along these days; but, they also had a banter between them.

Helga let out a breath. She wasn't sad. Well she was, but it went deeper than that. Being around Arnold killed her inside, but at the same time it made her feel better. She used to be sure about her feelings. At the age of four she deemed herself in love with the football headed boy. Now she didn't know for sure.

He broke her heart. He hadn't done it knowingly. But he did it nonetheless.

She sighed, straightening up and crossing the street. Arnold watched her go into Madame Blanche's Love Potions shop. Curious, he followed.

Helga was nowhere to be seen when he got inside. He looked at all the little multi-shaped glass bottles the owner had displayed at the window when he heard the rustle of beads.

"How may I help you?" Madame Blanche asked, coming out of the back room upon hearing the bell ringing when he had opened the door.

"Just looking," Arnold said with a smile. "Did you see where my friend went?"

Madame Blanche gave him a once over, scanning him. He seemed familiar, even though she was certain he had never been in her shop before.

"Oh, you're that football headed boy that little blonde pigtailed girl came in about a few years ago," she remembered. Arnold furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

"Uh... I'm confused," he said, shifting his eyes before he spotted Helga walking over to them. "There you are, Helga."

Helga made a quick purchase before exiting the shop. Arnold let out a breath, running a hand through his hair.

Madame Blanche was counting her money when she realized he was still in the shop. "What's the matter, kiddo?"

"Aw, it's nothing," he said, moving to leave. He stopped and looked at her. "You said a blonde, pig tailed girl came in here about me. Did she have one eyebrow and a pink dress?"

"Yep. Your friend kinda looked like her just now."

Arnold nodded thoughtfully. "What did she come in here for?"

"She wanted an anti-love potion. Seemed desperate too. Poor kid was crazy about you. Literally."

Arnold swallowed and blushed lightly. "Um...okay. Thanks." He left the shop and looked around for Helga. "Great. Where did she go now?"

"Arnold, my dear!" He turned after hearing the call and spotted Lila coming his way. "Dearest, whatever are you doing at a love potions shop?"

Arnold smiled slightly, still wondering where Helga had gone. "Hey Lila. I was just looking around. Did you see where Helga could have gone? We were hanging out."

"I'm ever so certain I did not," she answered before wrapping her arms around his and nuzzling his shoulder.

"Lila, I thought we broke up."

"We took a break, Dearest. Now I'm ever so certain I want to be with you again."

Arnold sighed, carefully pulling his arm free from her grasp. "Lila, we can't keep doing this."

"Whatever do you mean?"

~.~.~H.A!~.~.~

Helga sat on a bench, a good ways away, watching the couple. Arnold and Lila started dating freshman year.

_"I never realized how oh so sweet and funny you are, Arnold."_

Helga rolled her eyes and looked down at the little oval jar she held in her hands.

One good thing about Madame Blanche's Love Potions shop was the wide range of love related things. It ranged from falling in love potions to healing a heart break.

A portion of her mind did grasp the fact that it was nothing more than soda pop, but if she believed it would work maybe it will. Like when she drank the anti-love potion.

She was willing to try if it would make this ache go away.

She read the card the instructions were on.

_To heal a broken heart:_

_Think of the person whom has hurt you. Keep a visual in your mind and shake the potion twice. Close your eyes and repeat their name thrice out loud and then drink the potion._

The instructions sounded legit enough. She turned the bottle in her hands, reluctant to try it at the current moment.

Arnold sat down beside her with a huff, glad that he had finally straightened things out with Lila. He looked at the items in Helga's hands. "What's that, Helga?"

She looked over at him before stuffing them into her bag.

"None of your business, Football Head," her harsh words still lacked the harsh tone. But Arnold still backed down, minding her privacy.

He stood, holding a hand out to her. Helga eyed the offered hand before looking into his friendly green eyes.

She smiled lightly and took his hand in hers. Standing, they continued walking, neither let go of the other's hand.

"Helga, can we talk about something?"

Helga pulled her hand away, folding her arms defensively. "No." She finally managed a harsh tone.

Arnold made no remark. He wasn't a pusher. He just hoped Helga would open up to him.


End file.
